Sydney Symphony Orchestra | Listen to This Concert Series: Discover Elgar
June 30, 2026, Sydney Opera House, NSW
Back when I was a younger man, starting out on my classical music journey, I got most of my education from the radio (just like the Queen song). And on 2MBS FM 92.9 (now the Fine Music Station) was Karl Haas, playing every weekday. This was the precursor to today’s concert, and Richard Gill’s series prior to this.
Benjamin Northey is a fine presenter for this concert series. More than fine, actually. He has got the X-factor, as seen by his off-the-cuff remarks whenever something off-script happens, and he lightens the moment. He is clearly incredibly well prepared. He is reading from an ipad, notes that he has already prepared, and this musical essay flows very well with a clear beginning, middle, and end, with visible linkages and logic connecting the 3 sections and maintaining the flow. It reminds me so much of the essays that I wrote when I was at university. But instead of pressing the play button like Karl Haas, he turns around and conducts an orchestra!
Some of the pieces (extracts) that were performed at this concert were:
– Elgar’s entire Cello Concerto – but chunked up, interrupted, and explained at varying points. We did hear the entire concerto (more on this later) but it spanned the entire concert.
– Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory (from Pomp and Circumstance no. 1)
– Elgar Serenade for Strings
– Elgar Nimrod (from ‘Enigma’ variations)
– Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Greensleeves
My friend said that he enjoyed it because it was a new way for a beginner to see the format of the SSO, not one that that they usually expect from an orchestra or concert. And it was good learning in depth about the piece.
I liked the concert on so many levels. Let me share what I enjoyed.
When Ben said that Sir Edward Elgar always felt like an outsider to English society, that inspired me and gave me hope because I always feel like the outsider as well. Elgar is the iconic quintessential English gentleman, and he felt like this? I am not alone.
I actually really enjoyed hearing from the soloist Matthias Balzat. It humanised the music, and it made him really interesting to listen to as a human who has evolved to this musician with a certain (really high!) level of development. I need to commend him for his patience in being part of this series, cutting and pasting his performance into fragments, and finally for giving us an encore of Elgar’s Salut d’Amour arranged for 4 celli.
The orchestral excepts were played flawlessly by the SSO, they were on point, and their entry and exit points were seamless with Ben’s presentation. Marvellous SSO!
I can’t wait for the next one!
